Blogs from Dakar, Cape Verde Peninsula, Senegal, Africa - page 3

Wednesday Day 39 My alarm went off at 06:14 so I could squeeze in a shower before breakfast at 7 but I really didn't want to get up. I'd planned on having one the night before but my towel was on the truck and Toni was sleeping up there. I did not want to incur the wrath of Toni (who's lovely and probably wouldn't mind but still). Some people had been having cold showers but mine was hot and with the early morning air still cool, I actually felt refreshed! I unplugged all my electronics and packed them along with my sleeping bag and toiletries and dragged my bag out to the truck before breakfast, putting the stuff I wanted for the day under my seat. We were on wash-up after everyone had finished eating and ... read more

Przebrnelismy przez Mali w miare sprawnie chociaz na kazdego stopa czekalismy ok.6-8 godzin.Jednak dotarlismy radosnie do Senegalu. A bylo to tak: (wg zeznan M.) Z reguly przygladalismy sie burzom z daleka,sa imponujace chociaz niebo takie jak u nas, to pioruny tancza po niebie kilka sekund robiac wspaniale spektakle. W Bamako zmoklismy pierwszy raz na tym wyjezdzie a przeciez to pora deszczowa. Bamako chaotyczne rozlegle plaskie miasto z gorujacym nad nim Bankiem Centralnym wyglodajacym jak skarbiec Sknerusa. Suszymy sie i uciekamy na wylotowke w strone Dakaru.Placimy taksowkarzowi by nas wywiozl na wylotowke w strone Dakaru,wysiadamy i dowiadujemy sie ze wywiozl nas w przeciwnym kierunku,fajnie za pol godziny robi sie ciemno a my musimy znow przez cale miasto sie przeprawic. No ale teraz chociaz dobrze juz sobie radzimy w poruszaniu sie po Bamako transportem publicznym. P... read more

overall, this Sojourn was gastrologically like no other Senegalese trip of mine. how much of that is due to the development of Senegal and the development of me...remains cloudy. ...unlike years ago, I finally have a strong enough body now to sit, for hours, in crappy lawn chairs. doing nothing. moving barely an inch, except maybe to bend down and pick up my Coke. yes, Coke. i did more as the locals do this time 'round, too. also unlike years, ago, my courage in vocalizing my vegetarianism brought all sorts of surprises, and salads my way. i now announce myself within moments of meeting folks. i confess my strange, toubab lifestyle...making no lame excuses of belly aches or allergies or religious premises. this meant, instead of ducking out of meal times or feigning illness...i began conversations, ... read more

a few years ago, i decided that Tom's of Maine toothpaste was not up to my hippie standards. in that moment, i snickered, realizing just how much of a hippie i must be - who am i to criticize Tom's? about 5 hours into my Senegalese Sojourn, i had a similar moment, when i decided that a middle-class home in a newly developed area of Dakar was just too developed for my african standards. in that moment, i panicked, realizing just how much of an hippie i must be - who am i to criticize a middle-class african family otherwise? being put up generously by a good friend's family, i was staying in a house where the large, flat-screen television dominated the house in routine and decibels, and even in the children's imaginative play... ...i craved ... read more

Could there be any better way to welcome or farewell people to or from your country than bad roads and endless amounts of rubbish. If it weren’t for the African Renaissance Monument and success in picking up a Guinea-Bissau Visa. I would have classed this as a wasted experience. I bypassed the north of Senegal and spent a few days in Dakar and wasn’t really impressed enough to hang around. Entering from the north border is like entering a rubbish tip. Possibly all rubbish from the country gets dumped along the main road. The roads are bad and annoying begging was reintroduced into my trip. To understand what really pisses me off about Africa just come to the Rosso border crossing Mauritania side. This poorly organised crossing has guards who act like king shit at a ... read more